Where the Petals Fall
by NYC Hell Butterfly
Summary: Sisters Tatsu and Rini lost their parents in an accident in NY and were sent to Japan to live with relatives. There, they meet the Host Club. They are about to find out that everything they believed about their family is a lie and only the Host Club can help them stay safe from their deadly family secrets.
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE**

_**KYOYA**_

He had arrived at Music Room Three, home of the Host Club, very early that day. His father was in a terrible mood and Kyoya Ootori didn't want to be stuck around him. He was already bruised from their encounter the night before.

Kyoya glanced at his reflection. He'd covered up the bruise that peaked out at his left wrist pretty well, and nothing else was visible beneath his clothing. Satisfied, he sat down and began looking over the Club's financial records.

"Kyo-chan? You're here bright and early!" Mitsukuni Haninozuka said cheerfully as he walked into the room. "Did you want to have some cake with me?"

"Not right now, Honey-senpai. I have work to do," Kyoya replied.

"Okay... If you're sure... More cake for me!" Honey giggled and skipped away to get his cake.

Takashi Morinozuka entered the room so silently, Kyoya barely noticed him. "Good morning, Mori-senpai," he said pleasantly before returning to his paperwork. Mori stood protectively over his cousin Honey when he returned with his cake.

Within the hour, the Hitachiin twins arrived. "Hey guys," Hikaru said. "How's it going?"

"What's on the agenda today?" Kaoru added.

"We have the usual guests booked," Kyoya said. "Perhaps a few surprises will show up."

"Oh goody! I _love _surprises!" Honey said between bites of cake.

Tamaki Suoh suddenly burst into the room dramatically. "_Hello, _my wonderful Host Club friends! Never fear... Your King has arrived!" He announced.

"Tama-chan!" Honey greeted him excitedly.

"Hey, Boss," the twins said in unison.

"Kyoya, I had a _brilliant _idea last night!" Tamaki said in excitement.

Kyoya braced himself for whatever idiot idea Tamaki had thought up this time. "Oh?" He asked.

"Picture, if you will... A circus event! We'll each dress up in a gimmick... The twins will be our acrobats, wowing the crowd as they soar through the air! Mori-senpai will be the brave lion tamer, and Honey-senpai will be the lion! Think how _adorable _he'll look! _Speaking _of adorable, Haruhi will be the lovely assistant, helping everyone else with their acts. _You'll _be the sword swallower!"

"And let me guess... _You'll _be the clown?" Kyoya asked dryly.

"Of _course _not! _I'm_ going to be the ring leader and announcer." He paused thoughtfully. "We _do _need a clown, though... Perhaps Renge would like to join the act... Of course, we'll need costumes, a set, rings of fire, trained animals, and-"

"Sorry, Tamaki. We already used up our allotted trained animal budget for the year."

Tamaki pouted. "Alas... _Next_ year, then!"

"Of course," Kyoya said with a snide smile. He knew Tamaki would forget all about this stupidity by then.

He went back to looking over his notes, paying very little attention as Tamaki rambled until he asked in alarm, "Wait! Gentlemen, _where _is Haruhi?"

_Oh, no... Here we go again, _Kyoya thought, knowing Tamaki had a tendency to overreact to things like this. It was going to be a long day.

_**HARUHI**_

Haruhi Fujioka was running late. She barely made it to school before her first class. She quickly slipped into her seat and waited for the lesson to begin.

"About _time _you showed up," Hikaru teased her.

"Yeah, the Boss thought you'd been kidnapped or something," Kaoru added.

"Sorry, guys... I overslept," Haruhi said apologetically. She'd stayed up late studying the night before and had ultimately passed out on her textbooks.

"No big deal," Kaoru said with a shrug.

"Yeah, He'll call off the search dogs eventually," Hikaru added.

Haruhi wasn't sure if they were joking. Sometimes it was hard to tell with the twins, and sadly, organizing a panicked, elaborate search party just because Haruhi was running late would not be entirely out of character for Tamaki.

The lesson began, forcing Haruhi to focus. Suddenly, a girl Haruhi didn't know entered the classroom. She smiled brightly at the teacher and handed him a piece of paper.

"Ah, yes," the teacher said. "I heard you and your sister would be starting classes today. Welcome. Have a seat."

The girl kept smiling as she approached the empty desk beside Haruhi. The twins looked up with mild interest before apparently deciding they didn't care enough to keep watching her.

"Hello," Haruhi said kindly. "I'm Haruhi Fujioka. You're a new student?"

"Yes," the girl replied sweetly. "My name is Rini Maki. My sister and I just transferred here. It's nice to meet you, Haruhi."

"Nice to meet you, too."

"Who's your new friend, Haruhi?" Hikaru asked, apparently more interested now that Haruhi was speaking to Rini.

"Yeah, don't we get introductions?" Kaoru asked.

"Rini, these are the Hitachiin twins, Hikaru and Kaoru," Haruhi explained.

"Oh my. I've never met twins before! Which of you is which?" Rini asked with wide, excited eyes. Haruhi groaned internally.

"It's much more fun if you guess," Hikaru said.

"We call it the Which One is Hikaru game," Kaoru added.

"Oh... Okay, sure! Let me try... Is Hikaru the one on the right?" Rini asked. Her innocent eyes were so trusting. She had no idea who she was dealing with.

"Sorry, no," Hikaru blatantly lied.

"Guess you lost," Kaoru added with a mocking grin.

Rini looked a bit sad at their response. "Actually, you were right," Haruhi said, shaking her head. "Be nice, guys. It's only her first day."

The twins shot her matching glares, but Haruhi ignored them. After the class ended, Haruhi looked at Rini and said, "I can show you where your next class is if you like."

"Sure! And maybe we can get together after school and you can tell me more about Ouran... I mean, if you want to..." Rini blushed awkwardly as they headed to her class.

"Actually, I have Host Club duties after school," Haruhi said. "You can come along if you like. New guests are _always _welcome."

Rini smiled eagerly. "Sure! But... What's a Host Club?"

As if he had been summoned by a mysterious force, Tamaki appeared. "What's a Host Club, you ask?" He replied. "Oh, my dear, you are in for a treat! Join us this afternoon in Music Room Three and we'll show you an excellent time." He kissed her hand grandly.

Rini giggled shyly, instantly charmed by Tamaki just like most girls were. "Okay," she said.

"Wonderful! See you then."

"This is your classroom, Rini," Haruhi said. "I'll see you later."

"Thanks, Haruhi! Bye!" Rini said before going into her classroom.

"Haruhi, where _were _you this morning? You mustn't worry your daddy like that," Tamaki said, a look of genuine concern on his face.

"Sorry, Senpai. I overslept," Haruhi explained.

His concern visibly deepened. "Are you getting enough sleep, Haruhi? You _must _take care of yourself."

"Yeah, I just fell asleep while studying and forgot to set my alarm. I'm fine, Senpai."

He touched her forehead with the back of his hand. "Hmmm... You're a bit warm. Perhaps you need water..."

"Senpai, _really, _I'm fine. I didn't mean to worry you."

"I _always _worry about you, Haruhi."

"I know you do, but it's really not necessary." They reached her classroom. "This is my next lesson," she said.

"Of course... Be safe, Haruhi. I'll see you later." He gave her a very tight hug before running off to his own class.

Haruhi shook her head. "Remind me why I put up with him?" She said aloud.

"Because you broke a valuable vase and owe us a large sum of money," Kyoya said helpfully as he walked by her.

"Right..." Haruhi mumbled. She walked into the classroom before any other Host Club members could come out of the woodworks. The twins were in all of her classes, but they didn't bother her as this one began.

_**TATSU**_

She was miserable. Tatsu Maki hated this school for spoiled rich kids, the ridiculously hideous uniform, and the fact that she was being forced to endure it because a wealthy aunt and uncle she'd never known existed insisted it was what was "best" for her and her sister.

The entire day had sucked and she'd learned jack shit except that getting an education wasn't all that important to the other students. Although Tatsu and Rini had been born in Japan, they'd lived in New York since they were six and five years old respectively. Tatsu barely remembered life in Japan, and Rini remembered even less. After some sort of "falling out" and "family issues," her parents had taken the girls and fled Japan. They hadn't looked back. Four months earlier, however, a horrible car accident had killed her parents.

Tatsu and Rini had survived the crash. Rini didn't seem to remember much, but Tatsu remembered the car flipping through the air while they screamed. She also remembered waking up to the sight of her parents dead in their seats. Rini , who was tiny for her age and was probably too small for her seatbelt, had been flung from the car. Tatsu had spent a week in the hospital. Rini had remained there for an additional four. The five weeks her little sister had been in a coma had been the worst five weeks of her life, and having to explain to her that their parents were dead had been the hardest thing Tatsu had ever done.

Tatsu had been placed in a foster home as soon as she was released from the hospital. The family had agreed to take Rini in, too, assuming she survived. They'd kept their word, and the girls had just begun to adapt to their new home when they'd been uprooted again.

Her aunt and uncle had sent one of their employees to America with documentation proving they were related to the sisters. After a lot of legal debate, their foster parents had sent them on their way to what was basically a completely foreign country to live with so-called family they couldn't remember. They'd been there for about a week and it wasn't getting any easier to adjust. At least they were fluent in Japanese. Tatsu supposed it could have been worse.

"Tatsu!" Rini called to her eagerly, waving to her. "How was your first day?"

"School's school, I guess," Tatsu replied. "How was yours?"

"I made a friend, this boy named Haruhi... He invited me to come by a club he's part of after school, the Host Club. Can we go?"

"What the hell is a Host Club?" Tatsu asked. "It sounds like an escort service."

"_Please, _Tatsu? It's hard not knowing anyone... We could make some friends." Rini looked at her with her sad little bunny eyes.

Tatsu sighed. She knew how lonely Rini had been since they'd gotten to Japan. Although she and Rini were very different, Tatsu adored her sister and would move mountains just to make her happy. If Rini was unhappy, the world just felt _wrong_. "_Fine," _she reluctantly agreed. "But if it gets creepy, we're leaving."

"Yay! Thank you, thank you, _thank you!" _Rini said, flinging her arms around Tatsu and hugging her tightly.

"So where is this stupid club, anyway?"

"Music Room Three. Come on!" Rini took Tatsu's hand and led her toward their destination. Tatsu wondered what the heck she'd gotten herself into.

They entered the room to find several boys being fawned over by a bunch of girls who giggled and got overly excited by every little thing the boys did. Tatsu rolled her eyes as she mumbled, "Give me a break..."

"Ladies... Welcome to the Host Club," one of the boys said. He studied them as though he were trying to figure them out. After a moment, he adjusted his glasses and added, "What can we do for you today?"

"Hi!" Rini said cheerfully. "I'm Rini. Haruhi invited me to come by. This is my sister, Tatsu. I hope it's alright that I brought her."

"Of course. Our mission is to entertain the ladies of Ouran Academy. All are welcome! My name is Tamaki Suoh," Tamaki said grandly as he spotted them. He kissed Rini's hand, making her giggle. He then reached toward Tatsu.

"Try that on _me_ and I'll kick your ass... Fair warning," Tatsu said.

Tamaki looked stunned, but he recovered quickly, smiling at her charmingly. "Of course. Forgive my forwardness." He spotted another member of the Host Club and flung his arms around him.

"Ah! Senpai, _stop it," _the boy said.

"Come _on, _Haruhi! Give Daddy a hug!" Tamaki protested. Haruhi squirmed away from him.

"Jeez... What's with McRapey?" Tatsu mumbled.

The one with glasses raised an eyebrow at her comment. "Tamaki is French," he said by way of explanation. "He wears his heart on his sleeve, but I assure you he means well."

"No means no, that's all I'm saying," Tatsu replied. "So, what's _your _deal? All of the other guys have a bunch of girls hanging off them, but you stay on the sidelines."

"I'm far too busy keeping track of the Club's finances to Host," he replied.

"And your _name, _oh Great and Powerful Record Keeper?"

"Kyoya Ootori," he replied.

"Well, Kyoya... No offense, but this entire _Club _seems ridiculous. I wouldn't even be here, but Rini really wanted to check it out. What's the _point _of all this?"

"The Host Club exists to show the ladies of Ouran Academy a good time. Honestly, your negative attitude really isn't welcome here... Perhaps you should give us a chance before you judge us."

"Holy crap, it _is _an escort service!" Tatsu laughed. "Don't worry. I don't plan on coming back."

"Well, your sister seems to be enjoying herself."

He was right. Rini was completely caught up in the whole thing, giggling along with the other girls and trying too hard to make new friends.

"Rini's just lonely," Tatsu said. "She'll get over this as soon as she makes some real friends."

"It looks like she's _already _making friends here."

"Yeah, I'm talking about friends she's not paying for... People who actually like her and aren't just trying to convince her to pay for their services. Honestly, this whole thing is a bit creepy and kind of stupid."

"Don't hold back or anything," Kyoya quipped.

Tatsu shrugged. "I'm honest," she said. She couldn't decide if she liked Kyoya or despised him. He was clearly a frustrating guy. She suspected he felt the same way about her.

After over two hours of her sarcasm and his snark, Tatsu finally decided enough was enough. "Come on, Rini. It's time to go home," she said.

Rini pouted. "Do we _have _to?" She asked softly.

"Yeah. Our aunt and uncle will start to worry if we don't go home soon."

Rini nodded. "You're right... Thank you, Haruhi... Mori-senpai... Honey-senpai. Today was fun." She smiled at the three of them.

"What's with the toddler, anyway?" Tatsu mumbled.

"Honey-senpai is more than he appears," Kyoya said. "And he's our oldest member."

"You're kidding."

"No, I'm quite serious."

"Yeah, like, _all _the time. Whatever." Tatsu took her sister's arm and guided her away from the Host Club, relieved to be leaving.

"Did you have fun?" Rini asked Tatsu.

Her older sister rolled her eyes. "Sure, Rin. _Tons," _she said sarcastically.

"The boys are all _really _sweet."

"That _Club _is, like, junior prostitution. It's weird, and stupid, and definitely not my thing."

Rini sighed. "So you won't go back?"

"Nope."

"I was hoping we could go to the party they're throwing next week."

"Knock yourself out if you insist, but I've had my fill of the Host Club." With that, Tatsu resumed walking, eager to get away from the Academy.

_**RINI**_

She'd had a _great _time with the Host Club. Everyone was so friendly, and for the first time since waking up from the coma, Rini forgot about all of the things that were stressing her out... Just for a little bit.

Tamaki was really charming and Haruhi was super nice. The twins were a little strange but very funny. Honey was super sweet and cute and he shared Rini's love of bunnies. They'd clicked immediately. Then, there was Mori. He hadn't said much, but his presence was comforting. Rini had immediately felt safe with him standing guard over her and Honey. She hadn't really interacted with Kyoya much, but it seemed like he and Tatsu had connected on some level. They'd spent nearly the entire time together.

Suddenly, as she struggled to catch up to her fleeing sister, someone grabbed her arm. She took one look at the stranger and fear filled her heart. He tried to shove her into a car.

"Tatsu!" Rini screamed.

Tatsu spun around. "Rini!" Tatsu cried in alarm as she ran toward them. "Get your hands off of her!"

Four more men appeared. Tatsu managed to punch the one holding Rini's arm in the face. He let her go before another of the men grabbed her. Tatsu was fighting hard, but even she got grabbed as more men appeared.

In terror, Rini let out a scream. That was when something even more unexpected happened... The Host Club appeared.

"Rini." Mori put a ton of emotion into the one word.

"Unhand them, you fiends!" Tamaki cried.

"Leave them alone!" Haruhi added.

"That is _not _how you treat a lady," Hikaru said.

"Agreed!" Kaoru chimed in.

"Guys, run! Call the police!" Tatsu said.

"Men don't run from defending damsels in distress!" Tamaki insisted stubbornly.

"Who the _hell _are you calling a damsel in distress?!" Tatsu objected.

Mori stunned Rini by picking her up out of the arms of the man restraining her. He handed her to Tamaki. "Keep her safe," he said firmly.

"On my honor," Tamaki vowed.

"Tatsu!" Rini cried as her sister struggled against the men trying to abduct them.

Mori got Tatsu away from them next. Sobbing, Rini flung her arms around her sister. "Rin, I'm okay... But I have to help them," Tatsu said.

"Just leave it to them," Kyoya said. "Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai have this handled."

Tatsu rolled her eyes. "Okay, Mori _maybe, _but Honey? Do you _really _expect me to believe that-"

"Tatsu, _look!" _Rini said in surprise.

Tatsu's jaw actually dropped as they watched Mori and Honey easily take down the scary men in front of them.

"It's Morinozuka!" One man cried in shock.

"And Haninozuka! Run! Run for your _lives!" _Another cried as Honey knocked three men unconscious at once.

"Are you freaking _kidding _me?" Tatsu asked.

As the men who could manage it fled, several policemen showed up. "My family employs our own police force," Kyoya explained. "They'll clean this mess up and sort out what's going on. Please, ladies, come back inside the school until we know it's safe."

Shockingly, Tatsu didn't argue. Rini clung to her sister's hand. They headed back to the music room. The other girls had left for the day. Rini watched as Kyoya turned into a gentler person before her eyes.

"Tatsu... You're bleeding," he said softly. He pulled out a handkerchief and put pressure to a small cut on her head. Tatsu seemed surprised by the act. She looked into his eyes as he took care of her, obviously trying to figure him out.

"Thanks..." Tatsu finally said softly. Kyoya continued to tend to her wounds in silence.

"Rini, are you okay? Did those bad men hurt you?" Honey asked.

"I think I'm alright," Rini said softly. Then she started to cry as everything hit her. What was going on?

_**MORI**_

He hated seeing girls cry. It especially bothered him when the girl was sweet, innocent, and reminded him a bit of Mitsukuni. He'd felt protective the moment he met Rini, and now some strange men had tried to kidnap her and her sister.

"Don't cry, Rini!-chan" Mitsukuni said quickly. "Do you want some cake? Or you could hold Usa-chan! That helps _me_ when _I _get upset."

Rini shook her head and hid her face in her hands in embarrassment. "I'm sorry... It's just... That was really scary..." She said softly.

Mori automatically knelt down and pulled her into his arms. He was still a bit taller than her even on his knees. "It's okay, Rini," he said. "You're safe now. No one will hurt you here."

She buried her face in his chest while she cried. "Thank you... For protecting us," she said when she was a bit calmer.

"You don't have to thank me," he said gently as he released her. "Do you feel better now?"

She nodded. "I do... Tatsu, are you okay? How bad is your head?" She walked over to her sister.

"I'll be fine," Tatsu replied. "I just have a headache."

"Who were those men, guys? Why were they after you?" Haruhi asked.

"I have no idea," Tatsu replied.

"Me either," Rini added.

"I think they were Yakuza," Hikaru said.

"They looked the part," Kaoru agreed.

"Ya-what-za?" Tatsu asked.

"Yakuza... They're basically the Japanese Mafia," Haruhi explained.

"You've never heard of them?" Honey asked in surprise.

"We've lived in America since we were little," Rini explained. "We were born here but only came back recently."

"Why would the Japanese Mafia be after us?" Tatsu asked. "That doesn't make any sense."

"The twins are right, though," Kyoya said. "Those men _radiated _Yakuza."

"Perhaps they were hoping to demand a hefty ransom from your family," Tamaki suggested.

"I'm scared," Rini said. "What if more of them come after us?"

"We'll protect you," Mori said. He couldn't explain why he was desperate to keep them safe, but he was.

Rini smiled at him sweetly, which made Mori's heart happy.

"Mom and Dad said they left Japan due to family issues..." Tatsu said suddenly.

"Well, that's _one _way to put it," Hikaru said with a laugh. Kaoru snorted beside him.

"Hikaru, Kaoru! That _isn't _funny," Tamaki scolded them.

"He's right, guys," Haruhi said. "This is really scary stuff Rini and Tatsu are facing. We need to be supportive of them."

"That's nice of you, but you guys barely know us," Tatsu said.

"We're involved now, though," Tamaki insisted. "We _will _find a way to help you ladies."

The police came inside then. "We have captured several of the men. They will be arrested and detained, but so far no one is giving up any information," one said.

"Do what you must, but use discretion. I want this matter handled quietly for the time being," Kyoya said. "I fear it may run deeper than we initially thought."

"Yes, Sir!" The police exited the room, clearly understanding they were dismissed.

"Wow. You say jump, they sure do ask how high," Tatsu commented.

"Indeed... You're safe for now, Ladies. Please allow us to escort you home," Kyoya said. Mori noticed the way he stood close to Tatsu protectively. He understood the urge. He was practically glued to Rini's side.

"Look, we'll be fine-" Tatsu began.

"Tatsu... _Please," _Kyoya said softly.

Tatsu was visibly stunned by the change in his tone and body language. "Okay," she finally agreed. "Maybe it _would _be better for today."

Mori suspected this would not be a one-time thing. For whatever reason, these girls were in danger. The Host Club would not sit idly by while innocent girls were being targeted by professional criminals.

_We'll keep them safe, _he told himself. They might have absolutely no idea what they were getting themselves into, but he knew every single member of the Host Club was in agreement about that.

_**A/N: **__Thanks for reading the first chapter of this fic! I hope you're enjoying it so far. Reviews are extremely appreciated. There's plenty more of this story to come! I'll be including points of view from all of the main characters as the fic goes on. (As well as random supporting characters from the anime and manga.) See you soon!_


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

_**HIKARU**_

Things sure had taken an unexpected turn. It seemed Rini and her sister Tatsu were much more interesting than the twins had initially thought.

"Hey, Kaoru... Do you think they'll be in school today?" Hikaru Hitachiin asked. He didn't have to specify who he meant. Kaoru always knew what he was thinking.

"I don't know, Hikaru... That was pretty crazy yesterday, huh?" Kaoru replied.

"Yeah..." He shook his head, trying not to get too caught up in what had happened the day before. He spotted Haruhi and shifted his focus. "Hey, Haruhi, wait up!" He called after her.

"Oh, hey guys," Haruhi greeted the twins.

Suddenly, a bunch of their clients surrounded them. They eagerly rambled about utter nonsense and Hikaru pretended to pay attention to them while he watched Kaoru stretch his back. He played up the brotherly love gimmick for the ladies, something that came naturally to the twins. After all, Kaoru was the only other person in the world who truly mattered... He was Hikaru's sanctuary.

Sure, they kind of cared about the other Host Club members. Haruhi, especially, had found her way past the huge barricades the twins kept up... But no one would ever get in fully.

His attention was suddenly captured as Rini and Tatsu arrived at the Academy. Tatsu had covered the cut on her head with make-up. She was looking around, obviously on high alert. Rini clung to her hand nervously. The girl looked positively terrified.

"Guys..." Hikaru said to Kaoru and Haruhi. He nodded toward the sisters. The three of them automatically walked toward the girls.

"Haruhi! Hikaru, Kaoru!" Rini greeted them with relief.

"How are you guys holding up?" Haruhi asked.

"We're okay," Tatsu replied.

"Did you get any answers at home?" Hikaru asked.

"No... I decided we shouldn't tell our aunt and uncle what happened yet... We don't know if we can trust them."

"You don't trust your family?" Haruhi asked.

"We hardly know them," Tatsu replied. "I was six the last time I saw them. I don't remember them. All I know is that some freaks who may or may not have been mobsters tried to kidnap us yesterday. Our aunt and uncle are obviously keeping _something _from us. So, no... Right now, I _don't _trust them."

"That's a good call," Hikaru said.

"Yeah... Just because they're related to you, that doesn't mean they're trustworthy," Kaoru agreed.

The twins exchanged knowing glances. Their own relatives were not exactly the greatest people. Some were negligent, others were just clueless, and a few were downright cruel, awful people. The twins didn't consider them to be family... Only Hikaru and Kaoru were family. Everyone else was merely a nuisance with a blood tie.

"But if we can't trust our aunt and uncle... Who _can _we trust?" Rini asked.

Something momentarily possessed Hikaru that he couldn't quite explain. "Us," he said suddenly.

Rini and Tatsu both looked at him in surprise. So did Haruhi. Kaoru, however, nodded in agreement. "The Host Club, I mean," Hikaru clarified. "You can trust _us. _We're not Yakuza and we already proved we'll back you up in a fight."

Tatsu sighed. "Sadly, I do trust you more than them," she said. "As weird as the whole Host Club is, I know you guys want to help... And I have a feeling Tamaki won't take no for an answer. So as far as I'm concerned, I guess we're friends."

"I trust you, too," Rini said eagerly. "You were all _really _brave yesterday."

"We're in this together," Hikaru said.

"It's an interesting way to pass the time," Kaoru added with a smirk.

"Thanks, guys. Really," Tatsu replied. She even offered up a smile.

"Let's get inside before we're late," Haruhi said.

Hikaru took Kaoru's arm and guided him inside, following the girls.

_**HONEY**_

He had a lot on his mind. What had happened the day before had been _really _scary. It wasn't that Honey couldn't handle the fight. In fact, it had been easy to take down the guys who hadn't fled. It was more that Rini and Tatsu could have been seriously hurt and they still had no idea why any of it had happened.

To comfort himself a bit, Honey was eating some cake. He clung to Usa-chan as he replayed everything in his mind. His mind kept wandering back to Rini's eyes and her smile. He didn't like how sad she'd become after the attempted abduction. Rini seemed like a girl who should be happy. He wanted to hug her and tell her everything would be okay. He would protect her. Between him and Takashi, there was no way anyone would be able to hurt either of those girls ever again.

"Mitsukuni..." Takashi said suddenly. "You should be in class."

"Oh, I know," Honey replied. "I just stopped for a quick snack."

"You're worried," Takashi said knowingly.

"Yeah," Honey admitted. "I just keep thinking about what happened yesterday. I really hope Rini-chan and Tats-chan are okay."

"They're fine. I saw them both in the hallway earlier."

Honey hugged Takashi in relief. "That's _great _news, Takashi!"

"Yes. So, come on." Takashi led the way to their next class.

Honey sat down at his desk with Usa-chan in his lap. He prepared to begin taking notes and found his mind wandering again.

The entire rest of the day was a blur. Finally, it was time for the Host Club. Takashi and Honey arrived before everyone else. Honey went straight for the sweets, eager for his after-class snack.

Tamaki strolled in grandly, smiling eagerly. "Honey-senpai, Mori-senpai," he greeted them. "How _are _you, Gentlemen? Welcome to another _lovely _day at the Host Club!"

"We don't have any guests scheduled at the moment, but I'm sure someone will show up," Kyoya said as he wandered in.

"Free day!" The twins said in unison as they arrived and heard the comment.

Finally, Haruhi showed up, and she wasn't alone. Rini was with her. "Hey, Guys," Haruhi said. "I figured you wouldn't mind if Rini came by."

"Tatsu is on her way," Rini added shyly.

"Rini-chan!" Honey cried in delight. He noticed the way Takashi smiled in relief at the sight of her.

"Of _course _we don't mind," Tamaki said. He automatically wrapped his arms around her and led her deeper inside the room.

"So, what will we do today?" Rini asked softly.

"Whatever you like, my dear," Tamaki promised. "We are here to entertain you."

"Yeah," Tatsu said as she arrived. "That _still _sounds creepy."

"Tatsu. I see your sunny disposition survived yesterday's trauma in tact," Kyoya said dryly.

"Bite me," Tatsu replied. "I'm here because it's a better option than going home right away. If you'd rather I leave, I can always find something else to pass the time."

"Now, we can't have _that. _There's no telling what sort of trouble you'll get into next."

"Then I guess you're stuck with me." She smirked at him.

Honey saw the slightest hint of a smile on Kyoya's face. _He likes her! _Honey realized. He began to grin excitedly at the thought. It was nice to see Kyoya-chan looking happy for once.

_**TATSU**_

This wasn't her idea of fun, but it was the only plan she had. As long as Tatsu and Rini stayed inside of the Academy, they were safer.

"Are you doing alright, Tatsu-senpai?" Haruhi asked while everyone else was busy trying to entertain Rini.

"Yeah, I guess," Tatsu replied. "This whole thing is just insane."

"We'll help you guys figure it out. My dad always says nothing's impossible if you're determined enough."

Something about Haruhi's mannerisms caught Tatsu's attention. "Hmmm..." She mumbled.

"What?" Haruhi asked.

"Haruhi... Look, don't be offended by this, okay? I'm totally supportive of the community... I just didn't realize you were transgender."

Haruhi turned a bit pink in surprise. "I'm not," he said quickly.

"I'm not judging you or anything... But, I mean... Biologically... Were you born a female? I'm sorry, that's so rude to ask... You do you, Boy. I'm proud to be an ally."

Haruhi sighed. "Look, I'm not transgender or even a cross-dresser... It's sort of a long story, but yes, I'm a girl. I don't care if people see me as a girl or a guy, but to stay involved in the Host Club, I have to keep up the act. Until my debt is paid-"

"Debt? Are they _forcing_ you to do this?" Tatsu asked in surprise.

"I broke a really expensive vase. And yeah, it started out forced, but now it's kind of fun... I mean, sort of, anyway."

"To each their own, I guess..."

"Only the other Host Club members know the truth."

Tatsu offered her a smile then. "Your secret's safe with me, Haruhi," she promised.

"Thanks, Tatsu-senpai."

"It's the least I can do."

Tatsu didn't know how long the Host Club was going to be the one place she knew they were safe, but she figured she'd better get used to the members and how over-the-top they all were. She liked Haruhi, who was approachable and ordinary. Maybe it was because she was a girl, or maybe it was her "commoner" status, but she wasn't anywhere near as crazy or annoying as the others. Tamaki, the twins, and Honey all seemed pretty ridiculous. Mori was intimidating and intense and spent most of his time chasing after Honey.

Then, there was Kyoya. Tatsu was still trying to figure him out. He kept this eighty-foot wall around him at all times, yet she'd caught a glimpse of another side of him after they'd been attacked. While Kyoya clearly wanted everyone to think he was a dick who could care less about anything but money, it was obvious how worried he'd been about her. Suddenly, he'd been gentle and kind of sweet.

_Talk about mixed signals, _she thought. She noticed him watching her now out of the corner of his eye. He quickly covered this up by adjusting his glasses and sitting down at his laptop. He began typing feverishly.

"Writing the next great literary classic?" She teased him as she approached.

"Researching, actually," he replied.

"Researching _what?" _

"Why, _you, _of course. Or, more accurately, your family."

Tatsu stared at him in confusion. "How?" She finally asked. "Are you hacking into top-secret files or something?"

Kyoya cracked a slight smile then. "Not yet," he replied. "For the moment, I am using a rather remarkable and powerful program that puts an entire universe of information right at my fingertips."

Tatsu sat beside him so she could see what he was looking at. "Wait... You're _Googling _us? Jesus Christ, _how _did I not think of that?" She laughed. "I mean, every search starts _somewhere, _right? Did you find anything yet?"

Kyoya nodded. "To start, your parents were named Fudo and Hanako. Fudo was born of the Maki family, while Hanako came from the Ogawa family. This is significant because these two families have quite a history. Although once allies and business partners for generations, that changed a little over a decade ago after the Patriarch of the Ogawa family was killed in a somewhat suspicious accident. Maki and his wife then vanished under mysterious circumstances immediately after and never resurfaced. The families immediately separated all of their joint business ventures and are no longer affiliated with one another."

"That sounds pretty suspicious to me," Tatsu said.

"Indeed. A short time later, the younger Maki son, Fudo, left the country with Hanako, the eldest Ogawa child, and their two young daughters. It is said that Fudo was away establishing a new business venture in the United States, but he never returned to Japan. Your father's older brother, Sadao, and his wife, Sumi, took over the Maki family business. Your mother's mother, Rikona, still stands as the Matriarch of her line. Her son, your mother's younger brother, Satoshi, helps her run the family business."

"And what _are _those family businesses?"

"Officially, the Maki family runs a very successful technology company."

"My dad always was great with computers. He developed software for a living." Tatsu didn't add that she had a talent for hacking thanks to the things he'd taught her.

"The Ogawa family runs a chain of highly popular luxury hotels."

"Could the businesses be fronts for the Mob?"

"It's certainly possible. Technically, _any _business can be used to launder money."

Tatsu nodded. "Then I guess I'll need to get my hands on their records and find proof," she decided.

"Don't take any foolish chances, Tatsu. You may be dealing with some extremely dangerous people here. Family or not, they may hurt you."

"I'm not an idiot, Kyoya. I know this is dangerous, but I can take care of myself."

"What about _Rini_, Tatsu?"

She paused. "I'll just have to find a way to take care of us both," she decided. She stood up and walked over to Mori and Honey, who were doting on her sister.

"Hey, guys... Listen, can you teach me how to do what you did yesterday?" She asked. "I mean, I can hold my own in a street fight, but the moves you guys pulled out yesterday were on another level, and I need to get there."

"A young lady should never have to raise her hand in violence," Tamaki said before they could reply. "We can protect you both."

"I don't need protecting. I'm perfectly capable of doing it myself, but training would be helpful," Tatsu said firmly.

"Of course, Tats-chan! We'd love to!" Honey replied. "It'll be _so _much fun! I can't wait!"

"Really? Mori, are you in, too?" Tatsu asked. "Or, should I be calling you Senpai? I'm not used to honorifics... We don't use them for classmates in America. Anyway, will you help train me?"

"Sure," Mori said.

"Jeez, Mori-senpai, calm down, would you? Chatterbox," she teased him. "A girl can hardly get a word in edgewise."

Mori smiled and it lit up his face. Tatsu noticed the way Rini's smile grew as she watched Mori grin and knew her little sister was crushing on him. She couldn't blame her. Mori was seriously attractive, even if he was a bit old for Rini. He also seemed like a nice enough guy, and Tatsu trusted him not to hurt her sister.

"Let's start right now!" Honey suggested. He took Tatsu's arm and led her to a clear area of the room so he could show her a few moves. Mori silently followed them. Tatsu paid close attention, determined to learn as much as she could from the two exceptionally skilled Martial Artists.

_**TAMAKI**_

When the Host Club was done for the day, Tamaki insisted they bring Tatsu and Rini home again. After all, it was a matter of safety.

The Maki house was a stunning mansion. The gate outside was grand and a bit intimidating. They stood just outside, preparing to say goodbye as Tatsu pressed the button to be allowed inside.

"Miss Tatsu, Miss Rini," a staff member greeted them. He removed his hat and bowed to them. "Regrettably, your aunt and uncle had to step out on business. They shall return in the morning. We will prepare a suitable meal for you this evening... Will your friends be staying?"

"Oh, um, n-" Tatsu began to reply.

"Yes!" Tamaki cut her off. She glared at him while Rini giggled softly. "Well, we can _hardly _leave you here _alone, _considering," he added with a smile as the staff member hurried away presumably to tell the others they should expect guests.

"You know, it's _rude _to invite yourself over to someone else's house," Tatsu informed him.

"Welcome to _my _life," Haruhi mumbled.

"While Tamaki's approach was poor, this _may _actually be an excellent opportunity for us," Kyoya said. "We can use our time here to see if we can learn the truth about your family, Ladies."

"Yeah! Plus we get to see where you live," the twins added in unison.

"Just be careful, okay? I'm not sure how our aunt and uncle will feel about us bringing home guests," Tatsu said with a sigh. "Don't touch anything."

"Got it!" Kaoru said.

"Haruhi, don't break anything expensive," Hikaru added.

They headed into the house then, and Tamaki paused to take in its opulent beauty. Every inch of the house was decorated with obvious attention to even the slightest of details. "It's breathtaking," Tamaki told the sisters honestly.

"It's a bit much, honestly," Tatsu said with a shrug. "I feel like we're living in a museum or something."

A servant appeared with a fancy tea set and began serving them all tea. "Wow, this is the _really _good stuff," Hikaru said.

"Imported from the finest tea company in the world," Kaoru added as he took a sip.

"Lovely!" Tamaki declared. He took a careful sip. It was delicious.

"It's okay, I guess," Tatsu said. "I'd honestly kill for some soda."

"I like it," Rini said softly. "It reminds me of Mom... She loved tea." She looked terribly sad suddenly.

"Oh, Rini, dear!" Tamaki said, pulling her into a tight hug. "You're the cutest, sweetest thing... I'm so sorry for your loss... Tell me, is there a shrine here where I can pay my respects to your parents?"

"There's an ancestor room," Rini replied. "It has portraits of the previous generations of the Maki family. Our father is in there, but not our mother." She sniffled.

"Oh, you poor thing! Here... Let's bring a cup of tea into the room and light a stick of incense for both of your parents." He offered her his hand and a gentle smile.

Rini smiled back at him sweetly. Tamaki allowed her to lead him to the room. As she'd mentioned, it was full of portraits. Tamaki could almost feel her ancestors watching them. He noticed her father's portrait wasn't nearly as elaborate as the others. It was almost as though he were there as an afterthought, a gesture they'd suddenly remembered they needed to make. This made his heart sad for the sisters.

"He was a handsome man," Tamaki said kindly. "I'm sure he was very proud of you and Tatsu."

"I hope so," Rini said softly. "I want to make them both proud." She opened up the locket around her neck. Inside of the golden heart were two photos. One was of her father. The other, he assumed, must be her mother.

"She was quite lovely," Tamaki said. "You look quite a bit like her."

"Thank you... I took after our mom and Tatsu took after Dad, with her darker features."

"Well, you're both beautiful."

She blushed. Tamaki lit the incense, turning serious as he paid tribute to her parents. It was the honorable thing to do, after all.

"Rini, food," Tatsu called after a bit.

"We should go back to the others," Rini said. She cast a final sad glance at her father's portrait as Tamaki wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder and led her out of the room.

_**KYOYA**_

He quietly ducked into his room when he arrived home that night. Dinner with the Maki sisters had been enjoyable, but eventually, it had been time to return to their own homes. They'd escorted Haruhi home, then split up from each other.

As Kyoya slid the door shut, he realized he was not alone. He turned around to see his father watching him from the darkest corner of the room.

_Damnit, _he thought to himself. He forced himself to respectfully nod to his father. "Father... I did not see you there," he said politely.

"Kyoya. You are late," his father replied coldly. He stood, looking quite ominous as he emerged from the shadows.

"Apologies, Father. I helped escort two young ladies home to ensure their safety and was offered a meal as repayment," Kyoya said, trying to keep his tone calm despite the fact that he was shaking.

"Who were these young woman? I'll not have you bringing scandal to this family!"

"They're new in town... The Maki sisters."

"Maki? Ah, yes. I heard about their return to town. Do not get mixed up in any trouble, Kyoya. Their family is known to attract tragedy."

"Of course, Father..."

His father was nearly to the bedroom door when his cell phone rang. He answered it, quickly growing agitated at whatever he was being told. Kyoya inched away from him without even realizing it, needing to put some space between them. His father only grew angrier as the call continued. When he hung up, he flung the phone across the room.

Kyoya tried to brace himself as his father grabbed him and flung him against the wall. This was normal lately. As his businesses ran into more and more trouble, his father had taken to using Kyoya as a punching bag. That was how he released his anger, and it seemed he was _always _angry now.

His father shook him, slamming his back repeatedly against the wall as he did. He ripped Kyoya's glasses from his face, tossing them aside and leaving Kyoya even more vulnerable to the attack. Throughout the ordeal, Kyoya refused to make a sound, unwilling to give his father the satisfaction of hearing him cry out in pain.

When his fit of rage passed, his father left Kyoya crumpled on the floor in a ball. He calmly retrieved his cell phone and silently left the room.

Kyoya was trembling and having trouble breathing. He took a minute to try to calm his body down before crawling to the door. It hurt to move, but he managed to reach up and lock the door before he curled back up on the floor. He couldn't stop himself from crying for a minute, but he didn't allow it to go on longer than that. He sat up, took a deep breath, and slid his glasses back onto his face before standing on shaky legs. He forced himself to keep moving until he reached his bathroom. Once there, he began to clean himself up.

It was a familiar routine. He was on autopilot as he wiped away the proof that'd he'd given in to his weakness and cried before also wiping away the slight traces of blood when he found them. He kept ice on hand in a small freezer just in case of these situations, and he iced some of the areas that were already beginning to swell from bruising now. His chest looked pretty bad. He knew his back was probably even worse.

In the morning, he'd use make-up to cover any bruises that were not covered by his clothes. The pain was horrible, but he had grown accustomed to pretending it wasn't there. He was an Ootori. He had to remain strong. Perhaps his father was simply testing him.

_You will never be good enough for that man, _a small part of his brain told him. He chose to ignore that voice and forced himself to take a shower. The warm water soothed his aching muscles a bit, and when he was finally ready to go to sleep, he was able to find a position that didn't hurt too much. He knew he'd be in agony in the morning, but at least he might be able to get some sleep first.

As he closed his eyes, he begged his mind to show him something soothing instead of flashes of his father. He saw Tatsu smiling at him sarcastically. It was oddly comforting, and Kyoya found himself smiling slightly as he drifted off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

_**KAORU**_

He was having nightmares again. _The monsters lurking in the shadows kept reaching out of the darkness and touching him. They were everywhere, and no matter where he ran, he couldn't escape. _

"Kaoru..." Hikaru called from the darkness. He sounded a million miles away.

_"H-Hikaru?" Kaoru called in a shaking voice. _

"Kaoru, wake up. It's just a bad dream..."

Kaoru woke up crying. Hikaru sat beside him and immediately pulled him into his arms. "It's okay," Hikaru promised him. "You're safe. I've got you."

"They kept touching me..." Kaoru whispered.

"You know I won't let anyone hurt you, Kaoru. I'm here, okay?" Hikaru said soothingly.

"I'm sorry..." Kaoru whispered.

"You don't have to apologize for this," Hikaru said softly. He kissed the top of Kaoru's head. "Move over. I'm tired."

Kaoru laid back down, shifting so Hikaru could lay beside him. His twin wrapped him in a protective embrace and Kaoru felt much safer.

This was a common occurrence for the twins. They both had nightmares, but Kaoru's were far worse. When it came to the things that scared them the most, Hikaru was the braver one. He'd always been stronger than Kaoru when it came to trauma. He was Kaoru's protector.

"Hikaru..." Kaoru said softly.

"Yeah?" Hikaru replied sleepily.

"I love you." He snuggled in even closer against his brother.

"I love you, too. Now shut up and go back to sleep."

Kaoru stayed awake for a bit as Hikaru held him. He listened to the sound of his twin's heartbeat and paid attention to the rhythm of his chest rising and falling as he slept peacefully. Eventually, this soothed Kaoru's nerves and he finally fell back asleep.

_**RINI**_

She hated nightmares. Rini couldn't remember the accident, but she was plagued by nightmares more often than not. Sometimes, she saw details, but she couldn't be sure if they were accurate.

_She was back in the car, half asleep as her parents drove home from a fun night out at the theater. They'd gone to see a Broadway show, something they did several times a year. Rini was just starting to drift off when a black van came speeding toward them. _

_"Watch out!" Rini screamed as the van slammed into the front of their car. It flipped through the air, and Rini shrieked as her seatbelt failed to keep her in her seat. She heard Tatsu screaming her name as she flew right out of the open window. _

_Rini landed hard on the ground. She was badly injured, but conscious. She tried to move, but she was in too much pain. Suddenly, she heard voices. _

_"_Kanryo shimashita," _one said._

"Shojo wa mada ikite iru," _the other argued. _

"Nagaku wanai," _the first man said with a cruel laugh. He began kicking Rini in her head. She wanted to scream, but she was already too hurt. She blacked out. _

"Rin! Rin, _stop!" _A familiar voice said.

"Tatsu..." Rini registered. She opened her eyes and quickly wiped away her tears. She realized she was standing by the wall of her bedroom. The pain in her foot told her she'd been kicking it. "Was I sleepwalking again?"

"Looks that way... Sit down, Rini," Tatsu said.

Rini obediently did as instructed. Tatsu began to examine her foot. "I think you broke a toe, Rin," she said.

Rini sighed. "I'm sorry, Tatsu..." She suddenly grabbed the dream journal beside her bed and jotted down the strange conversation she'd heard. She translated it quickly into English.

_One: "It's done..."_

_Two: "The girl is still alive." _

_One: "Not for long." _

She shivered and closed the book quickly. "What's wrong, Little Bunny?" Tatsu asked knowingly as she taped Rini's toes together to stabilize them.

"The nightmare I had... It was about the crash... And I heard men talking... Then one of them kept kicking me in the head," Rini said.

"Rin, you were thrown from the car. The impact knocked you out and left you in a coma."

"I know... Of course. I'm sorry. It was only a silly nightmare." She smiled at her big sister reassuringly.

Tatsu frowned. "I'm sure it's just your subconscious messing with you, but... What did they _say, _Rini?"

"They said something was 'done...' Then commented I was still alive... And then the one who kicked me said... Said..." She was shaking.

Tatsu hugged her tightly. "It's okay, Rini. You're safe here."

"He said 'not for long.' It was _so _scary, Tatsu... And it felt like a memory. Usually when I flash back, it's a blur and it goes black fast, but not this time..." She shook her head. "I'm sure it's nothing."

"Right," Tatsu said, but she didn't sound convinced. "Come on, Little Bunny. Get ready. We have to leave for school soon." With a final hug, Tatsu left the room.

Rini took several deep breaths and forced herself to stop focusing on the bizarre nightmare.

_**TAMAKI**_

He'd had a rough morning, but he didn't let that chase away his smile. Tamaki's grandmother had stopped by to criticize him and tell him the many ways she saw him as a failure. She did that every so often, but it still stung. It didn't matter, though. He couldn't let it bother him. He walked into Ouran Academy with his head held high and beamed at the students he passed on his way to Music Room Three.

The girls fussed over his dazzling smile and the boys greeted him with friendly grins. Tamaki was exceptionally popular, after all. Their reactions made his heart happy, but that feeling paled in comparison to the way he felt upon entering the Music Room and finding Haruhi already inside.

Haruhi flashed him a pleasant smile as she looked up from her textbook. "Good morning, Senpai," she greeted him.

"Haruhi! It's so lovely to see you this morning!" Tamaki replied, immediately pulling her into a tight hug.

Haruhi wiggled free of his grasp with some effort. "I just needed a quiet place to study before class," she said. "My dad's friends came over early this morning and it was impossible to focus with all the noise they were making."

"Of course, Haruhi. This is _your_ sanctuary, too." He smiled his most charming smile at her. She didn't even seem to notice the effort.

"Thanks," she said, going back to her textbook.

_Oh, Haruhi... How you mock my adoration for you with your dismissive reactions, _he thought.

He was quickly distracted as the others arrived. Kyoya was the only one who hadn't shown up. "Tama-chan, why did you want us here so early today?" Honey asked.

"Well, Honey-senpai, that's quite simple! We need to plan the last details of next week's party out. Now, I know we have our attire and decorations taken care of, but what about music?" Tamaki asked.

"I hired an orchestra for the evening's festivities," Kyoya replied as he arrived.

"Kyo-chan!" Honey greeted him cheerfully. He ran toward him and hugged him.

Kyoya visibly tensed for a moment, as though Honey's hug had hurt. It was obvious Mori noticed.

"Mitsukuni, come here. I have your morning snack," Mori said smoothly.

"Oh, boy!" Honey cried with delight. He ran toward Mori.

"We should have other music, too," Hikaru said.

"Yeah, the girls might enjoy something more modern and less classical once in a while," Kaoru agreed.

"We can discuss that later," Tamaki said. "Off to class, my friends!" He shooed them from the room but held Kyoya back.

"Something I can help you with, Tamaki?" Kyoya asked.

"Kyoya... Are you injured?" Tamaki asked gently.

"I'm fine," Kyoya said dismissively. He moved to leave.

"Kyoya, you flinched in pain when Honey-senpai hugged you."

"I'm not a hugger. You know that. The _flinch_, as you call it, was a reaction to being touched without my permission."

Tamaki couldn't argue. It was a reasonable enough explanation. "Okay," he said. "Come on... We've got learning to do!" He cheerfully headed off to class with Kyoya not far behind him.

_**KYOYA**_

He was exhausted. Sleeping had been nearly impossible the night before. He sat down at his desk and immediately felt sick.

Kyoya quickly excused himself and rushed down the hall to the bathroom. He doubled over in pain and began throwing up. There was blood.

"Damnit," he mumbled. He was more hurt than he'd thought. He removed his glasses and splashed cold water on his face. When he put his glasses back on, he stared at his reflection. "Keep it together," he scolded himself.

There wasn't _much _blood, so Kyoya figured he wasn't _that _injured. He was dizzy from throwing up. After he rinsed his mouth several times, he forced himself to leave the restroom and head toward his class.

Another dizzy spell hit before he got very far and he nearly collapsed. A hand grabbed him to steady him. "Whoa, easy..." Tatsu said.

Kyoya looked up in surprise. "Tatsu?" He asked. Was he hallucinating?

"Yeah... I saw you run out of class and thought someone should check on you," she explained. "I figured I'd be less annoying than McRapey."

"You shouldn't call him that. He's not a creep... He's just a fool." Kyoya's legs nearly gave out beneath him. Tatsu still had a good grip on him.

"Kyoya... Did you skip breakfast?" She asked.

"I wasn't hungry."

Tatsu must have picked something up from his tone, because for once, she didn't reply with sarcasm. "Here," she said, pulling a chocolate bar out of her bag. He stared at her in confusion. She moved it toward him. "Take it. The sugar will help."

He finally nodded and took it. "Thank you," he said softly. He took a bite and realized how badly he needed it. He quickly finished the chocolate bar.

"Better?" She asked.

"A bit."

"Come on. We're late for class." She led the way. For once, Kyoya was glad not to be alone.

Tatsu made sure he made it to his seat before heading toward her own, which was two desks to his left. Kyoya watched her during the class as she took notes... Or so he thought. He realized upon closer inspection that she was doodling. The art was actually quite good. Tatsu possessed a genuine skill and he wondered what her art looked like when she was making a legitimate effort. He found himself smiling slightly as he watched her draw whatever popped into her head.

A sense of peace came over Kyoya as he watched Tatsu smile to herself as she finished her artwork. For just a single moment, he forgot all about the previous night's attack.

_**MORI**_

He arrived at Music Room Three before the rest of the Host Club. Oddly, he heard music coming from inside. Someone was playing a beautiful melody on a violin.

Unable to resist, Mori opened the door a bit and peaked inside. He was quite surprised to see Rini was the source of the music. Watching her focus as she played the violin, something touched Mori's heart. He wasn't sure if it was her music, or the way she closed her eyes and swayed slightly as though she herself were made of this music, but he was instantly enchanted.

When Rini was finally done, she opened her eyes. He stepped fully into the room then. "That was beautiful," he told her honestly.

"Mori-senpai?" She asked in surprise. She blushed slightly. "I didn't know you were there."

"I didn't want to interrupt," he explained. "You're very talented."

"Thank you," she said softly. "Playing the violin is one of my favorite ways to express myself... I started learning to play when I was three and apparently took to it immediately. My parents..." She paused, suddenly looking down at her feet.

Mori automatically moved closer to her. "What were you going to say?" He asked gently.

"My parents loved it when I played for them. My mother had a gift for music, too. She played the cello."

"I'm sure she was great at it."

"She was. We used to play together a lot. I... I miss that." She looked at him sadly.

"Keep playing," he said.

"What?"

"Keep playing. I see the way it brings you peace... And I guarantee your mother is still playing along with you."

Rini picked up her violin and began to play another song. This one was more upbeat and cheerful, and although she'd shed a couple of tears, Rini looked happy again. When she finished the song, Mori wiped away her tears gently. She smiled at him.

"Thank you, Mori-senpai... I feel better now," she told him. He nodded, not saying anything else.

The other Host Club members arrived as Rini started to play another song. Mitsukuni immediately hurried to get closer to her. He sat in front of her, clearly as enchanted as everyone else was.

"Rini-chan, that was _amazing!" _He said enthusiastically as she finished.

"Yes, it _was_ magnificent!" Tamaki agreed. "Play us something else, won't you?"

Rini blushed, but indulged them with more music. "Rini-chan's _really _pretty, huh?" Mitsukuni asked Mori softly as she played.

The comment was casual, but Mori could tell his cousin had a crush. "Yeah," Mori agreed. He didn't say anything more, but he realized he was a little bit upset.

_I have a crush, too, _he suddenly understood. _Unacceptable. If Mitsukuni is interested, she's off-limits to me. I can't stand in the way of his happiness. _Just like that, he told himself to file Rini firmly in the "friend" category. Normally, that didn't bother him, but this time... It was different. Part of him still wanted to explore the way he felt about Rini, and he was ashamed of himself.

He looked at Rini and he couldn't turn his emotions off no matter how hard he tried. There was just something about this girl... From the moment he'd met her, he'd felt something.

He turned toward Mitsukuni and knew his own emotions didn't matter. _I'll ignore them, _he told himself. _I may not be able to turn them off, but that doesn't mean I have to act on them. _

It was decided. He would watch Rini from afar and protect her no matter what. If she ended up marrying Mitsukuni, that would become Mori's job anyway. Protecting the Haninozuka family was what the Morinozuka family did.

Seeing the way Mitsukuni's eyes lit up as he watched Rini, Mori knew he was doing the honorable thing. Keeping his cousin happy mattered more than anything else.

_**TATSU**_

She found the entire Host Club and some of their clients or guests or whatever surrounding Rini as she played the violin. Tatsu smiled, enjoying the familiar sound for a minute before joining the rest of them.

"So, is my sister getting paid for entertaining your guests?" Tatsu asked Kyoya.

"That hasn't been discussed, but she'd certainly make a decent living at it," Kyoya replied. "You're both very talented."

"Both?"

"I saw your art during class. You're actually quite good."

Tatsu was actually surprised. "I was just messing around... Drawing clears my head."

"Just because it's an outlet, that doesn't mean it's not a talent. You have a gift, Tatsu... As does your sister."

"Thanks, Kyoya." She offered him a genuine smile.

The Hosts began entertaining their guests themselves instead of ignoring them to listen to Rini. Tatsu stayed close to Kyoya. She was still kind of worried about him after earlier. He seemed like his usual self at the moment, but she couldn't help but be concerned.

When Mori and Honey freed up, Tatsu had another lesson with them. She had to admit that training was fun. She'd never expected to need Martial Arts training, but it was pretty cool, and she was picking it up quickly.

After Honey taught her a few new moves, Mori took over. Honey ran off giggling and offered Rini cake. Tatsu noticed the way Mori watched his cousin and her sister. "Everything okay, Mori-senpai?" She asked.

"Everything's fine," he replied. "Now, follow my lead." He started to show her a new move. It was a powerful kick, and she was impressed by how quickly his leg snapped out.

"Sharp," she said.

"Yes. Now, you try."

Tatsu took a deep breath before attempting the kick. "Good," Mori said. "Just try to straighten out a little more at the end."

Tatsu tried it again. "Better?" She asked.

"Much," Mori confirmed.

Tatsu smiled. "Cool. Teach me another one?"

"Sure." Mori did something a lot more complex, moving smoothly through the air and spinning his body as he did.

"Can you break that down for me?" Tatsu asked.

Mori moved through the steps more slowly. After two tries, Tatsu was able to copy the movement perfectly. "You're a natural," he told her.

"Thanks. I really appreciate you and Honey helping me with all of this."

"It's no problem," Mori assured her.

They continued practicing for a bit until Rini picked the violin up again. Mori seemed distracted then. Tatsu realized that too late as she landed a kick he should have easily deflected. It connected with his stomach and he doubled over.

"Mori-senpai! I'm so sorry!" Tatsu said in horror. "Are you okay?"

Mori coughed before managing to get out, "That was good form."

"Mori-senpai, are you hurt?" Rini asked in concern.

"What happened, Takashi?" Mitsukuni asked.

"She has a strong kick," Mori replied. "It will serve her well. And I'm fine."

"I think that's enough training for today, Tatsu," Kyoya said.

"Maybe it's time we walk the girls home," Hikaru suggested.

"Excellent idea," Tamaki agreed.

"Guys, we _really _don't need _all _of you to walk us home every day," Tatsu said.

"It's better. The more of who are with you, the less likely they'll be to try anything," Kaoru replied.

"Kaoru's right," Hikaru said. "Besides, we're sort of a packaged deal."

"We don't want to be a burden to you," Rini said sweetly.

"It's not a burden," Haruhi said. "You're our friends."

Rini brightened at her words. "Thanks, Haruhi. You're the sweetest!"

Tatsu suddenly wondered if Rini had figured out that Haruhi was a girl yet. She wasn't an idiot by any means, but sometimes her head was stuck in the clouds.

"Everyone has a role to play here," Tamaki said. "Between all of us, we have every type... And our manager helps us develop our characters as needed."

"Your manager? Who's that?" Tatsu asked.

Suddenly, cackling could be heard from nearby. The sound of some sort of powerful motor filled the room, and a machine burst through the floor.

"What the actual f...?" Tatsu wondered aloud.

A girl stood at the center of the machine. She seemed harmless enough, but when she started speaking and rambling about the boys, Tatsu realized what she was.

"Holy crap, she's a _sasaeng!" _She cried in alarm.

"A _what?" _Honey asked.

"It's a term used for crazed fangirls in Korea... I'm really into K-pop music," Tatsu explained.

"Renge is _not _a sa-whatever-you-said," Hikaru said.

"Exactly. She's an _otaku," _Kaoru added.

"What's an _otaku?" _Rini asked.

"An obsessed fan of anime, mangas, that sort of thing," Haruhi explained.

"So, basically, a _sasaeng," _Tatsu said, rolling her eyes. "Well, at least Miss Crazy knows how to make one hell of an entrance."

"Thank you," Renge said, finally acknowledging her. "I'm Renge Houshakuji, and I'm a first year student here at Ouran."

"Hi, Renge," Rini said shyly. "I'm Rini Maki, and this is my sister, Tatsu."

"Pleasure to meet you, Girls! I just thought I'd stop by. Anyway, I have work to do. Bye!" She put the motor in reverse and vanished.

"Okay, seriously, did _no one _else find that weird?" Tatsu asked.

"We're used to Renge," Haruhi explained.

"Yes, Renge is a vital member of our group. She's very good at drumming up new business. And to think, when she arrived, she was merely Kyoya's fiancee," Tamaki said.

"_Fiancee?" _Tatsu repeated.

"She convinced herself we were engaged because I resemble a character she is in love with," Kyoya explained.

_"Sasaeng," _Tatsu coughed out. She smirked at him.

"She's mostly harmless and does occasionally come up with good ideas," Kyoya continued, ignoring her comment. "Now, I believe we were about to walk you home."

"Right!" Tamaki said eagerly. "Men! Haruhi... Let's escort our guests home."

_**HONEY**_

He stayed close to Rini as they brought the sisters home. He was still thinking about her beautiful music and smiling to himself when they arrived at the house. He didn't even stop to register something unusual.

"Wait," Takashi said suddenly. The others stopped and looked at him.

"The gate..." Kyoya said, apparently also noticing the problem.

"Where are the guards?" Tatsu asked.

Suddenly, Rini let out a horrified scream. She pointed at something before sobbing into Takashi's arms. Honey looked where she'd pointed and realized what she'd seen.

"Oh my God..." Tamaki said softly.

"Is that guard... _Dead?" _Haruhi asked in shock.

"Don't look, Haruhi," Tamaki said firmly. He stepped in front of her to shield her from the bloody sight.

Kyoya reacted quickly, kneeling at the guard's side. He checked for a pulse before shaking his head. "He's gone," he confirmed.

The twins remained oddly quiet as they stared at the dead guard. "Hika-chan... Kao-chan... Are you guys okay?" Honey asked. He was clinging to Usa-chan, but he wasn't especially frightened. Dead bodies were scary, sure, but whatever threat was lurking, Honey was determined to be ready for it.

"Yeah," they replied in toneless unison, leaving Honey nothing to work with.

"That was Hachiro... He was the main guard here," Tatsu said numbly.

"We should call the police," Haruhi said.

"I can call in my family's police force," Kyoya offered.

"No...We need to check and see if anyone needs help," Tatsu said. "There could be survivors."

"The people who did this could still be here," Honey pointed out.

"That's unlikely," Kyoya said. "Judging from the state of his body, the guard has been dead for a few hours. The person or people who did this have most likely left by now."

"Then it's settled... I'm going to find the others," Tatsu said firmly.

Just then, a man approached them. Honey was ready to attack him when Rini cried out, "Hiroshi!" She ran toward him with tears in her eyes.

The man took Rini into his arms. "There, there, Miss Rini... I am so sorry you had to see such a thing," he said as he stroked her hair.

"Hiroshi, what happened here?" Tatsu asked.

"Hachiro had an unfortunate accident, Miss Tatsu. I was coming to cover him up until the proper people could remove him."

"_Accident_? He's covered in blood," Tatsu protested.

"We should not discuss this here. Please, go on inside. Your aunt and uncle instructed me to shield you from this trauma. Miss Rini is already quite upset."

Tatsu frowned, but she softened when she looked at Rini. "Okay... Thanks for walking us home, guys. We'll see you tomorrow," she said.

Kyoya guided everyone else away. "That guard was _whacked_," the twins said in unison when they were far enough away.

"Clearly," Kyoya agreed. "However, with Tatsu and Rini being unsure of who can be trusted, it was better they didn't keep arguing."

"I can't believe that just happened..." Haruhi said softly.

"Haru-chan, are you okay?" Honey asked. "Do you need to hold Usa-chan?"

"I'll be okay, Honey-senpai... I'm just worried about Rini and Tatsu-senpai. Do you think it's safe for them to be home right now?"

"We could always rescue them," Tamaki said. "We'll get them out in the dead of night! Or, we can take turns guarding the house."

"That's a good way to get shot," Hikaru said.

"Or arrested for trespassing," Kaoru added.

"The twins are right, Tamaki," Kyoya said. "We have to be smart about this."

"Let's think about it for a bit," Honey suggested. "Why don't you all come by my house for some cake?"

"I sort of lost my appetite," Haruhi said. "Thanks anyway, Honey-senpai."

"I'll walk you home," Tamaki offered. He took her arm in his and led her away.

"What about the rest of you?" Honey asked.

"We need to get home," Hikaru said.

"Yeah, our mother insisted we get home at a decent hour tonight," Kaoru added. The twins hurried away.

"Kyo-chan?" Honey asked.

Kyoya offered him a slight smile. "Another time, perhaps," he said. "I have work to do tonight."

As Kyoya left, Honey looked at his cousin. "Takashi... Will _you_ have cake with me?" He asked with big, sad eyes.

"Sure," Takashi replied, making Honey's entire night. No matter how crazy things had gotten, Honey knew everything would work out fine as long as they stayed together... And had cake.


	4. Chapter 4

_**TATSU**_

She'd spent a good deal of time comforting Rini before deciding to explore the house. With the staff caught up in the murder they claimed was a freak accident, no one was paying much attention to the Maki sisters.

She'd explored the attic, a place she hadn't been before. There, she found the first major clue to what her aunt and uncle were hiding... A leather-bound notebook.

"This is Dad's handwriting..." She realized. The journal was written in Japanese. Tatsu began to read the first entry. The date told her that her father had barely been sixteen when he'd written it.

_Today, I met her... The woman I will marry. She's the sort of girl that inspires a boy to start keeping a journal. Her name is Ogawa Hanako. Her family has business ties to me, but until this afternoon, we had never been in the same place at the same time. She is beautiful. Her smile makes my heart happy. I know it is fate that I will marry her one day, no matter who or what might stand in our way. She is perfection._

Tatsu smiled at her father's words. This might not be what she'd been looking for, but it felt like she'd been given her father back for just a moment. She could imagine him as a teenager, writing his thoughts down in secret and knowing even then that he would marry her mother. It was sweet. It hurt a little bit, but in a good way.

She flipped through the notebook, reading later entries. That was how she stumbled across one from when her father was a bit older.

_Sadao and Sumi were wed today. The ceremony was beautiful. My brother is very happy with his new bride. I am not sure what to make of her. Maki Sumi (previously Akiyani Sumi) does not speak often. She does not smile unless a camera is snapping photos of her or she is in the public eye. There is something strange about her. I know her family is another "business affiliate" of ours, but she seems terribly cold. I suspect she has deep secrets she keeps. Of course, we all do. This is the life of the Yakuza._

Tatsu nearly dropped the journal. There it was, in her father's own handwriting... Her family really _was_ Yakuza. It wasn't that she'd doubted it, especially after coming home to a dead body at the gate, but it was strange to see it on paper.

"Okay," she said, taking a deep breath. It was hard to realize that she'd never _really_ know who her parents were. Had _everything _been a lie?

"They loved us," she told herself. "I know that much. And they left for a reason. They weren't bad people." She closed the journal, not ready to finish reading it yet. She needed to absorb what she'd already discovered before she continued. She carried it downstairs with her, slipping into her bedroom and hiding it in the locked trunk that sat beside her bed where she was fairly certain it would be safe until she was ready to try to read more. 

_**MORI**_

He had never paced so much in his life. Mitsukuni watched him anxiously as he moved back and forth. "Takashi... Are you hungry?" Mitsukuni asked. "You _must_ be... You're making _me_ hungry with the way you're pacing!"

"I'm fine," Mori said automatically.

"Takashi... I'm not sure you _are," _Mitsukuni said gently.

Mori sighed. "I'm worried... About the sisters," he admitted.

"Me, too... But they'll be okay, Takashi. It'll all work out, I'm _sure_ of it."

Mori wished he could share his cousin's optimism. He wanted to believe everything would be fine, but the Maki sisters had nearly been abducted, and they were in constant danger, and they'd discovered a dead body on their property. _None _of that was okay.

"It's time for school, Mitsukuni," he said.

"Okay," Mitsukuni said as he grabbed a piece of cake and shoved it into his mouth. "I'm ready!" He proclaimed with his mouth still half full of food.

They headed to school together. He looked around the campus, hoping to see Rini and Tatsu, but there was no sign of them. Mori's mind started running through a thousand worst-case scenarios.

_You're as bad as Tamaki,_ he scolded himself. _They're fine. They're probably already in class. You'll see them later_.

He didn't see them even when he made his way toward his classroom, but he did see Kyoya. He noticed he was limping slightly and seemed to be struggling to hold onto his textbooks. Mori quickly walked over to him as Mitsukuni settled into their classroom.

Mori immediately took Kyoya's textbooks from him. Kyoya jumped in surprise before regaining his composure. "Mori-senpai..." He said in confusion. He seemed to think better of asking why Mori had taken his books. "Thank you," he said softly. Mori followed him into his classroom.

"Kyoya..." Mori hesitated. He could tell something was wrong with his friend. Kyoya was clearly in pain, something that seemed to be happening more and more often.

"Yes?" Kyoya asked as he cautiously sat down.

Mori placed the books on Kyoya's desk. "Never mind," he said softly. He put a gentle hand on Kyoya's shoulder to reassure him. Kyoya flinched away for a split second before he relaxed. Mori knew something was wrong, but he couldn't exactly ask Kyoya with so many people around. Besides, he had a feeling he wouldn't talk about whatever was going on even if Mori did ask.

As he left the classroom, Tatsu rushed inside. Relieved, Mori nodded at her. She flashed him a quick smile before sitting at her desk. Mori walked back to his own classroom, taking his seat next to Mitsukuni. He tried not to focus on anything besides the lesson. 

_**HIKARU**_

He was beyond relieved to see Rini sitting at her desk with her hands folded neatly in front of her. Kaoru's face wore an identical expression to his own.

"Are you okay, Rini?" Kaoru asked.

"I think..." Rini replied softly.

"It's crazy what happened," Hikaru said.

"I'd really rather not talk about it," Rini said with a sniffle.

"That's okay," Haruhi said as she joined the conversation. "We're just glad you made it to school safely today."

The class began. Hikaru got bored pretty quickly. He stopped paying attention until a man walked into the classroom. He only looked up because Kaoru froze at the sight of him.

_What the hell is _he _doing here? _Hikaru wondered. He hadn't seen Asaki in three years, but he'd know the monster anywhere. He'd been part of his family's security staff for fifteen years before taking a new job. Hikaru and Kaoru had been grateful when he quit.

"I'm here to check on Miss Maki," Asaki told the teacher.

"Of course," the teacher replied. He motioned for Rini to come forward.

"Hikaru..." Kaoru whispered.

"I know, Kaoru..." Hikaru whispered back. He squeezed his hand. He wanted to stop sweet, innocent Rini from going anywhere near Asaki, but he knew he needed to control himself. They couldn't make a scene. Besides, they were in public. Asaki couldn't do anything to her in that moment.

Rini was still standing outside of the classroom with Asaki when the class ended. "Your aunt and uncle just want your safety monitored for a bit, Miss Maki," Asaki was saying.

Rini nodded. "Thank you for checking on me," she said sweetly.

"Haruhi... Take Rini and Kaoru to our next class," Hikaru said.

"Sure," Haruhi said, looking a bit confused.

"Hikaru, no-" Kaoru protested.

"It's okay, Kaoru," Hikaru said. "Go."

He waited for the three of them to leave before he approached Asaki. "Mr. Hitachiin..." Asaki said with a cruel smirk playing at his lips. Hikaru forced himself to meet his gaze as he looked him up and down. "My... How you've grown..." Asaki added in a way that made Hikaru want to kick his ass.

"I don't know what you're playing at, but stay the hell away from Rini," Hikaru said firmly.

"The Maki girls are my current assignment," Asaki replied. "Are you friends? Then it looks like we'll be seeing a lot of each other."

"If you so much as _breathe _in mine or Kaoru's direction, I'll kill you."

Asaki laughed. "Of _course_ you will, Hikaru," he said skeptically. "You may talk tough, but I'm sure you're still just a scared little boy deep down... One who'll do _anything _to protect his brother..."

"Shut your damn mouth, Asaki!" Hikaru shouted.

"What's the matter, Hikaru? Didn't you _miss_ me? _I_ certainly missed our time together." Asaki reached toward him.

For a split second, Hikaru froze. Then, he heard a voice. "What are you doing here, Asaki?" Tatsu asked.

"Your aunt and uncle sent me to verify your safety," Asaki replied.

"I'm safe. There, it's verified. Leave us alone at school, okay? We need the distraction." She took Hikaru's arm and led him down the hall. Only when Asaki was out of sight did she ask, "Are you okay? You look pretty freaked out."

"Don't trust him, Tatsu," Hikaru said. "Especially not around Rini. Do you hear me? I _mean _it."

"Listen, um..." She paused. "_Hikaru_, I'm guessing... How do you know him?"

"He used to work for my family. _Promise _me, Tatsu. Promise me you'll protect her, no matter what. As the older sibling, it's your job. _Promise _me."

"Okay, fine, of course I will..." She looked at him with concern in her eyes. "Hikaru... What did he do to you?"

"It doesn't matter," Hikaru said firmly. "It's ancient history. Just keep Rini safe. I have to get to class." He ran off before she could ask him anything else.

_**KYOYA**_

He was starving. His father had beaten him so severely the previous night, he hadn't been able to hold down his dinner or eat breakfast. He had a horrible headache.

Tamaki obliviously tried to engage him in cheerful, meaningless conversation. Kyoya could barely understand what he was rambling about over lunch. He stared at his food, trying to work up the strength to attempt to eat it.

"So then, _I _said, pardon me, Ma'am, but your roses appear to be on _fire!" _Tamaki proclaimed, laughing as though this was the funniest story he'd ever told. Kyoya did not respond. That was when Tamaki paused. "Kyoya... Are you alright?" He finally asked.

"I'm fine," Kyoya replied.

"You haven't touched your meal... Aren't you hungry?"

Kyoya managed to get some food onto his fork. Slowly, he raised it to his mouth. The motion hurt, like everything else, and he couldn't hide a small wince of pain.

Tamaki frowned in concern. "What happened?" He finally asked softly.

"Nothing, Tamaki," Kyoya insisted. "I'm fine." He tried to open a bottle of water. His hands were visibly trembling. The bottle fell out of his hand.

"Kyoya... Here," Tamaki said with forced cheerfulness meant to mask his concern. He opened the water bottle for him and gently handed it to him with a reassuring smile on his face.

Looking into Tamaki's kind eyes, Kyoya sighed. "Thank you," he said softly before drinking some of the water.

"There, that's better!" Tamaki said. "Now, go on and eat. You need your strength, after all." He smiled at him in his usual goofy way, but Kyoya knew how worried his friend actually was.

_Get it together, _he scolded himself. He'd always been able to hide the signs of what was going on at home before, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. He didn't know how much more of this he could take.

He noticed Tatsu watching him from nearby. He could tell she was worried, too. That surprised him a bit. He still wasn't quite sure what to make of her. She wasn't the easiest girl to figure out. He had to admit, her casual attitude and rampant sarcasm were a refreshing change of pace from most of the girls at Ouran Academy.

As Tatsu offered him a quick smile, Kyoya felt a little bit calmer. There was something comforting about her presence, although he couldn't really understand why. It was a bit intriguing how she affected him. It defied reason, yet he enjoyed how the sight of her made him feel. For just a moment, he forgot about his pain.

Tamaki followed his gaze. A fresh smile lit up his face. "Kyoya... Do you have _feelings _for our Miss Tatsu?" He asked.

Kyoya rolled his eyes. "She's our client, and I was simply being friendly," he said.

"Oh, of _course _you were." Tamaki laughed. "She's really quite unique, isn't she? You'd make a _lovely _couple."

"Tamaki, I have more important things to focus on than romance," Kyoya said firmly.

"Nonsense, Kyoya! _Nothing _is more important than matters of the heart!"

Kyoya rolled his eyes before finally managing to successfully eat. He felt slightly more stable once he was done, and he managed not to immediately get sick, so he took that as a good sign.

_**RINI**_

The Host Club felt like the safest place in the world to Rini as she arrived after school. She hadn't really slept the night before, so she put her head down in exhaustion.

"Coffee?" Mori asked sweetly.

Rini opened her eyes in surprise as she inhaled the heavenly aroma coming from the cup in front of her. "Thank you, Mori-senpai," she said with a smile. She gratefully drank some of the coffee. It warmed her up and was strangely comforting.

After a few minutes, Rini decided to play the violin while Tatsu trained with Mori and Honey in an area they'd set up behind a curtain. Tamaki, Haruhi, and the twins entertained the other guests who showed up. Everything was going well, and Rini lost herself in the comfort of playing music.

When the girls finally left, Kyoya noticed Rini yawning. "We have a bed set up for Honey-senpai," he said. "I'm sure he'll be okay with you using it for a bit. You look exhausted, Rini. It's safe here. Get some rest."

She was surprised by the kind offer. "Thank you, Senpai," she said. She followed him to the area he'd described. The moment her head hit the pillow, Rini passed out.

_She was dreaming of her old house. Her mother was running around looking frantic. "They found us, my darling," she said to Rini's father._

_"I know, my love," her father replied._

_"We are no longer safe here. We need to leave."_

_"I'll arrange for us to get out tomorrow... I can get us set up quickly."_

_"What will we tell the girls?"_

_"I'm not sure... They're older now, but the truth may be too much, especially for our sweet Rini..."_

_Rini wondered what her parents were hiding. Who was after them? Should she keep snooping or mind her business? She'd never seen her mother so frightened before._

_The scene shifted to later that night. They were in the car... And then..._

Rini awoke screaming as she felt herself flying through the air. She frantically swatted as she felt someone trying to grab her.

"Ouch! What's the big idea, Rini?" Hikaru demanded. He was clutching his left arm in his right one, but Rini saw blood where she'd apparently scratched him.

"Yeah, we're trying to _help," _Kaoru added. He looked terrified as he examined Hikaru's injury.

Tamaki was on the ground beside the bed shaking. "You were screaming," he said softly. He had a small scratch on his cheek.

Kyoya arrived with a first aid kit and immediately set to work on patching up the others. "Are you alright, Rini?" He asked.

Rini wanted to respond, but she was still too terrified by the dream. She couldn't think straight. She didn't feel safe.

"Rini, calm down," Haruhi said gently. "It was only a dream." As Haruhi tried to get closer to her, someone else stepped into view.

"Step away," Mori said firmly.

"Mori-senpai..." Haruhi began.

"Everyone, back off. Give her space," Mori insisted. That didn't seem real. Mori rarely spoke that much...

Haruhi backed away. Tamaki and Kyoya followed the twins, who had already gone to the opposite side of the room.

"Rini..." Mori said softly.

Rini was trembling. She whimpered slightly, caught up in the flashback even though she was awake. She nearly slipped into it completely, but then strong arms wrapped around her.

"You're safe, Rini," Mori said soothingly. He held her close to him. She could hear his heart beating. She focused on that until the flashback fell away. Then, Rini sobbed against his chest. Mori simply held her, stroking her hair and letting her get it all out.

"Rin... Are you okay?" Tatsu asked, finally breaking the silence as she sat on Rini's other side.

Rini looked up with tears still in her eyes. "I... I had a nightmare," she said softly.

Mori gently wiped her tears away before releasing her. "Here," Honey said. "You can hold Usa-chan."

Rini smiled at him gratefully, clutching the stuffed bunny to her chest. She was starting to feel much better.

Kyoya returned with a cup. "No more coffee, thank you," Rini said softly.

"It's tea," Kyoya said. "To soothe your nerves."

Rini gratefully accepted the tea. It helped her calm down completely. "Are Tamaki and Hikaru okay? I'm _so _sorry," she said in horror.

"They're fine," Kyoya promised. "It was nothing serious."

"What scared you so badly, Rini-chan?" Honey asked.

Rini clutched the bunny tighter. "Was it the crash again?" Tatsu asked.

Rini nodded. "But... There was more... A memory, I think, from earlier in the day," she said. She paused. "Mom and Dad were scared, Tatsu... Mom said someone had found them, and Dad was planning to take us and run... He said he just needed to make some arrangements... But then the crash happened."

"It wasn't an accident..." Tatsu said with a sigh.

"The men I dreamed about... The one who kept kicking me... It was all real, _wasn't_ it?" Rini asked.

"I'm starting to think so," Tatsu admitted.

"What is she talking about?" Kyoya asked.

Nervously, Rini explained her previous dream as Tamaki, Haruhi, and the twins rejoined them. The twins exchanged nervous glances. Haruhi looked worried. Tamaki looked downright horrified.

"Men... Now more than ever, we _must _protect our dear friends," Tamaki proclaimed. He smiled at Rini reassuringly. "You shall be safe in our care, Ladies!"

Rini melted at his dazzling smile and comforting words.

"No," Tatsu said. "It's too dangerous now.. It's bigger than we thought. This is _our_ fight."

"Tatsu... You can't fight this battle alone," Kyoya said softly.

Tatsu looked like she wanted to protest, but Haruhi said, "We already told you we're in this with you two. You're _not_ alone anymore."

"Yeah, I'm not letting those meanies hurt you _ever_ again!" Honey chimed in.

"We're already involved anyway," the twins said with matching casual shrugs.

"We're with you," Mori said.

"We're _all _with you," Tamaki added grandly.

Rini looked at Tatsu with wide eyes. "Tatsu... We need all the help we can get," she said with a sniffle.

Tatsu sighed. "I just don't want them to get hurt. Someone _killed _our parents and tried to kill _us_... It's all getting so crazy..."

"You'll find that we here at the Host Club _excel _at crazy!" Tamaki declared.

Tatsu cracked a smile. "That, I believe," she said with a laugh. "Okay, fine. You guys can help... But what the hell are we going to _do? _Where do we even start?"

"I can assign some of my family's private police force to watch over you when we can't," Kyoya said after a moment.

"Will your father mind?" Rini asked softly.

Kyoya tensed slightly, but Rini wasn't sure why. He covered it with a smooth, detached smile. "I don't see why he would. After all, the Ootori family tries to ensure the well-being of our businesses' clients at every turn, and you are clients of the Host Club," he replied.

"So it's settled!" Tamaki said.

Surrounded by their friends, Rini felt better already, especially with Mori sitting beside her. His arms had made her feel safer than she'd felt since before the accident.

_**HARUHI**_

She was pretty relieved to get home. It had been a long day. Once again, Tamaki had insisted on walking her there. He'd just walked away when Haruhi sensed someone watching her.

"I'm _fine, _Senpai. You can leave, _really," _Haruhi said, rolling her eyes.

When Tamaki didn't answer and the sensation didn't stop, Haruhi tensed. "Is someone there?" She called.

_I wish my dad was home, _she thought. He was working that night.

She hurried to her front door and unlocked it. As soon as she was inside, Haruhi slammed the door shut. She crept toward a window and peaked outside, hoping she'd catch a glimpse of whoever was watching her without them seeing her.

At first, she saw no one. She was about to write the whole thing off as being in her head when she spotted three tall, ominous figures hiding in the shadows.

Haruhi sank to the floor, not sure what else to do. She was positive now that she was in danger, and she was alone. Calling one of her neighbors might put them in harm's way.

_Call Tamaki, _she thought. He was probably still close by, but if he came alone, he could get hurt. She sighed. She couldn't do that. She could call Mori and Honey, but what if these men were Yakuza? What if they had guns? She's never forgive herself if her friends got hurt because she'd panicked and called them.

She'd faced everything else that scared her on her own... She could face this, too. Haruhi crept into the kitchen, careful to hide from the windows in the house, and grabbed a knife. Then, she grabbed her phone and called the police.

"My name is Haruhi Fujioka. There are three men outside watching my apartment. I think they're dangerous," Haruhi said.

"Are you alone in the house?" The man who answered asked.

"Yes. My father's at work and won't be home for hours. _Please _hurry."

"Remain calm. Stay hidden. We'll send someone to check on you right away."

"Thank you, Sir..." Haruhi hung up the phone. She curled up in a ball in the kitchen, too scared to dare to move as she clutched the knife, praying she wouldn't need to try to use it.

Suddenly, someone banged on the door, frantically and loudly. Haruhi felt tears in her eyes as she clutched the knife harder. She was trembling.

"Haruhi! Haruhi, open up!" A voice called desperately from the door.

"Tamaki-senpai?" She whispered as she recognized the voice. She crawled toward the door. "S...Senpai?" She called softly.

"It's me, Haruhi. Open the door," Tamaki replied urgently.

Confused but kind of relieved not to be alone, Haruhi opened the door, pulling Tamaki to his knees as soon as he stepped inside and closing the door.

"Are you alright, Haruhi?" Tamaki asked as he looked at her in the darkness. He noticed the knife and his eyes went wide.

"There are three men watching the apartment," Haruhi explained. "I called the police. What are you doing here, Senpai?"

"I had this _awful _feeling, so I decided to come back to check on you, and I was worried because all of the lights were out," Tamaki replied. "I _knew _something was wrong."

Haruhi hugged him, needing to feel safe. "I think they're Yakuza, Senpai," she said softly.

"It's okay," Tamaki said soothingly. "Daddy's here. You're safe now. I'll protect you."

"You're _not _my father, Senpai," she said firmly. "But I appreciate you coming back to check on me."

"I'll _always _protect you, Haruhi... With all that I possess," he replied grandly. She believed him. She allowed him to continue holding her, finding comfort in his arms despite how scared she was.

A little while later, there was a less frantic knock on the door. Haruhi and Tamaki cautiously approached it together. "Miss Fujioka?" Someone called. "This is Officer Akima."

Haruhi stood up and opened the door. The officer had his gun out. She jumped back automatically. Tamaki moved protectively in front of her.

Officer Akima looked surprised. He quickly lowered his weapon. "I was told you were alone," he said. "Are you alright?" He added as an afterthought.

"We're fine. This is my friend from school. He came by to check on me," Haruhi explained.

"I see... How thoughtful of him." The officer looked oddly frustrated. "Everything is fine, Miss Fujioka. My partner and I found no one lurking. Perhaps your friend scared them off."

"Thank goodness," Haruhi replied.

"You can turn on the lights. There is no reason to worry," he said. "Good night." He tipped his hat to them before leaving.

"Haruhi..." Tamaki began. "Maybe you should come stay with me tonight. I'll call your father and explain."

"Don't worry him. I'll leave him a message that I'm spending the night with a friend studying," she replied.

"You'll come?" Tamaki asked in relief.

"Yeah," Haruhi replied. "I have a feeling I shouldn't stay here alone tonight. Thanks, Senpai. I'll pack a bag quick."

She ran off to prepare to spend the night away from home. For some reason, she didn't trust the officer. He had been acting too suspiciously. Haruhi was convinced that if Tamaki hadn't come back to check on her, something very bad would have happened when she answered the door alone.


End file.
